The Hoboken City Council took the final steps on Wednesday night in a nearly year-long process to acquire a 1-acre plot of land in southwest Hoboken that is already in the process of becoming the city’s next public park. The final payment by the city for the property, in the area of $2 million, was unanimously agreed upon by the nine-member council.

Inclement weather and frigid temperatures resulted in a business-like City Council meeting, with only a few members of the public in attendance and an agenda free of the usual controversy.

In addition to approving the final purchase of land for the southwest park, the city also approved a stricter system for authorizing road openings to fix potholes, water and gas issues, a system that a city official said would allow for better enforcement and higher quality customer service.

The council also approved a new lease agreement with the North Hudson Community Action Corps.

Two other ordinances up for public hearings, one which would allow new salary limits for high-ranking officials in the administration of Mayor Dawn Zimmer and another establishing a new lease with Hoboken Family Planning for use of the city’s multiservice center, were sent back to first reading after significant changes and will heard again and voted on again in two weeks.

_____________ “My goal is to ensure every student has the same high quality of education and opportunity no matter what grade level and educational need.” – Monica Stromwall____________

The council also approved the appointments of seven new Class II police officers, meaning that they are officers who could be called in during hours of special need, and would not be paid for time when they do not work. The strategy of using Class II officers during high-crime sections of the week has been one the Zimmer administration has used for some time, and Zimmer has credited the strategy with saving the city considerable amounts of money. The council also approved two of the city’s previous Class II officers to be promoted to full-time positions.

Board of Ed. fills empty seat

Late last week, the Hoboken Board of Education unanimously selected Monica Stromwall to fill the empty seat vacated by Carmelo Garcia, who stepped down from his post after being elected to the state Assembly last November. Stromwall will serve the final year of Garcia’s three-year term before she is required to participate in next year’s municipal elections.

“Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to serve the students and community of Hoboken as the newest board member,” Stromwall said in a statement. “My goal as a member of the Hoboken Board of Education is to ensure every student has the same high quality of education and opportunity no matter what grade level and educational need.”

Stromwall has two children, a first grader at Wallace Elementary School and a toddler who will soon enroll in the district’s preschool early childhood education program.

Board President Leon Gold, who won reelection in November, said that Stromwall will play a valuable role in looking out for Hoboken’s public school students.

“The Hoboken Board of Education warmly welcomes Monica Stromwall to serve our city. As a parent invested in the public schools, she will be invaluable in providing the trustees with her insight as we further advance the public schools,” he said in a statement. “As an anthropologist and student of human nature, she will lend a unique perspective to our deliberations on educational matters affecting the community.”